Brassieres are generally designed to be close-fitting, and can represent a source of significant discomfort to the wearer. For example, in addition to being constrictive, the seams and narrow straps often forming a part of the brassieres can tend to press uncomfortably into the wearer's flesh, particularly after they have been worn for a length of time or when the wearer has been physically active.
Because societal norms generally require that such garments should be worn, and many women must rely on them to provide a degree of support and coverage, the discomfort associated with them is typically viewed as something which must simply be tolerated. Furthermore, because the production of brassieres is generally a labor intensive process, their manufacturing costs can be relatively high. Therefore, manufacturers have attempted to find ways for simplifying the production of brassieres in order to reduce the costs associated therewith, in addition to looking for ways to improve wearer comfort.
For example, commonly-assigned U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,479,791 and 5,553,468 to Osborne, the subject matter of which is incorporated herein by reference, describe circularly knit brassieres which, in addition to being capable of simplified manufacture, also provide enhanced wearer comfort. To this end, the brassieres described in the Osborne patents are each produced from a substantially seamless circularly knit tubular blank having a turned welt at one end thereof, with portions of the tubular portion of the blank being removed to define neck and arm openings, and the front and back sections of the tubular portions of the blank being sewn together at the shoulders. Banding is then provided at the neck and arm openings to form a finished brassiere.
Another brassiere is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,531,525 to Richards. The Richards patent describes a brassiere blank made on a circular knitting machine and having a torso portion with a pair of breast cups and straps knit integrally with the torso portion and having turned welt portions at each end of the cylindrical blank. The tubular blank is slit on one side, laid flat for cutting neck and arm openings, and seamed at each side to form a brassiere. The brassieres described in this patent therefore have side seams which can tend to cause discomfort to the wearer.